Global Warming Chapter 1 Study Guide

2.1. Global warming and the associated climate change

Climate change relates to the long-term change in the earth’s average weather that includes temperature, wind patterns and precipitation. Global warming can be defined as the increase in the earth’s average temperature subsequently influences climate change and creates unpredictable climate patterns.

Credible studies have made scientists confident that the decade to come with experience a rise in global temperatures predominately due to the greenhouses gases resulting from anthropogenic activities. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), that includes scientists from across the world, the expected rise in temperature is within the temperature range of 2.5 to 10

Greenhouse gases such as water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone, play a pivotal role in the absorption of heat emitted from the planet’s surface and lower atmosphere and thereafter causing the energy to radiate back towards the surface. The natural greenhouse effect is important as without it the global average temperature would be approximately 60 degree Fahrenheit colder. Unfortunately, increasing anthropogenic activities have resulted in substantial amounts of greenhouse gases subsequently intensifying the strength of the greenhouse effect. The outcome of doing so are alterations to the planet’s

Concerning greenhouse gases

The major greenhouse gases that supplements the greenhouse effect are: water vapour, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane and halocarbons.

The utilisation of fossil fuels in the transportation, electricity generation, and both domestic and commercial purposes, are high. Thus the concentration of carbon dioxide within the atmosphere is great. It is also important to note that carbon dioxide is a by-product in the production of cement, a common building material throughout the world. 80 percent thing

Agricultural activities increases greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide. The methane quantities are derived from livestock raising whilst the use of fertilizers exposes the atmosphere to nitrous oxide. Methane and nitrous oxide can also be sourced from emissions from fossil fuel burning.

Through the emissions of gases such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons, ozone gas is formed. As these gases enter the atmosphere, chemical reactions take place in the presence of sunlight to develop the ozone. In the troposphere the ozone gas is harmful and a potent greenhouse gas whilst in the stratosphere the ozone molecules shield all living organisms from harmful ultraviolet radiation